Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Shadow of Corin Part 12
Though the castle guards supposedly supported Louis, there was no telling what could happen. We moved carefully, trying to avoid meeting people as much as possible and making as little noise as possible. I took extra precautions, concealing myself entirely beneath the shadow cloak. Lloyd, as Louis's friend, could openly show himself without raising suspicion, and with some explanation, even El could pass as Louis's servant. But for me, things were a bit different. The Crows likely considered the "Druid" a high-risk figure by now, so there was no harm in being extra careful.
We made our way to the Lord's office. Two guards stood watch outside. When they recognized Louis, they relaxed their posture and gave him a respectful nod. Louis exchanged a few casual words with them, then introduced Lloyd as an old friend before entering the Lord's office together. I quickly slipped into the office before the door could close.
Normally, the lord's office was not a place just anyone could access. Even as the lord's son, Louis would need express permission to enter. But the lord of Corin was currently absent—or rather, "unable to act". So, naturally, the tasks that would have fallen to him now passed to his sons, giving them access to his office.
Of course, Dawood, not Louis, would normally be the one spending time here.
However, with Dawood currently occupied with the orc subjugation, there was nothing odd about Louis using the lord's office.
– Thud.
The door to the office closed with a heavy sound. The inside of the office was quiet. A stillness pervaded the office, carrying the emptiness of a place that hadn't seen use for some time.
I took off the shadow cloak and surveyed the office. The windows held pale glass panes, a huge hunting trophy of a bull's head hung on the wall, an empty mahogany desk sat nearby, and a chair stood tall and uncomfortable to a strange degree, and then…
"...."
The unlit fireplace.
"I've already examined everything here."
"Have you?"
"Contrary to what you think, there's nothing unusual about this place."
"...."
"I suspected this room at first too. But, Theodore, I've spent twenty years in this castle. I grew up here, and if anyone knows it well, it's me."
"Hmm."
"I inspected every corner, but nothing's changed. Nothing strange either…."
Nevertheless, I approached the unlit fireplace. I grabbed the poker beside it and poked at the dry wood, which was no doubt freshly laid. Ashes came into view beneath it.
"Burning letters is quite common."
Louis spoke. He wasn't wrong. For most people, it might seem strange, but for a lord like Corin, the contents of the letters would be too important to keep, so naturally, they would be burned after reading.
But still.
"Is there anyone who would send such an important letter to your brother, who hasn't even taken up the position of lord yet? Your father isn't even 'dead' yet…."
It was true. Dawood was still only the Lord's "heir". Until his father died and he officially took the lordship, who would send Dawood a letter significant enough to need "burning away"?
The fact that letters had been burned in the lord's office was essentially proof that Dawood was already acting like the lord. Even though his father wasn't dead yet.
He must be certain that he'll be the next lord.
Which, naturally, meant that Dawood's father—the current lord of Corin—would die.
"Louis. How is your father's condition?"
"He simply hasn't regained consciousness, but I've heard there's no issue with his body."
"Is that so?"
"I saw him myself, and honestly… he looked far too well to have suffered a 'fall from a horse'. Really, he seemed like… he was unable to wake up."
"..."
If he looked that "intact", there was no reason he couldn't wake up at any moment. But Dawood seemed excessively calm. What would he do if his father woke up and accused him of causing the accident? Even if he was his son, it could cost him his life. It was strange.
There were many suspicious aspects. Lost in thought, I looked around the office. Lloyd and El were there as well, inspecting the place with me, but nothing in particular stood out. It was unsettling, but as Louis had said, burning letters was something anyone could do… After all, burning letters wasn't a crime.
There's definitely something here.
The whole office felt "unnatural" somehow. It was hard to pinpoint exactly as if something was well-hidden, yet I had a nagging feeling. Like when knowing there's a cockroach somewhere in the house but being unable to locate it…
…But I don't have the skills or items to detect it.
Would things be different if there were a priest or a wizard around? It was frustrating. I stood in front of the large portrait hanging on the wall behind the desk and went into deep thought. But nothing specific came to mind.
What could it possibly be…
I stared absently at the portrait. In it was the first lord of Corin, standing against a backdrop that looked like this same office. He had a dignified beard and a solemn expression as he stood with one foot on a fallen bull with a broken horn.
A bull.
A bull…
I turned my head and looked at the hunting trophy hanging by the door. The trophy which was made from the head of a bull was huge and imposing, with a pair of glossy, intimidating horns. Only one was intact.
"Louis."
"Hmm?"
"What is that?"
I pointed at the hunting trophy and asked. Louis responded with a proud look.
"Don't you know the story of the Mad Bull? When Corin's first lord, Stein Corin, arrived in these lands, a mad bull was trampling the villagers to death, so he fought it bare-handed to save them."
It sounded like a lie… but there was no use in challenging it, so I gave a slight nod and asked again.
"Then, what is Corin's family motto?"
"Fear not the horn."
"Fear not the horn…."
I narrowed my eyes and stared intently at the bull's head hanging from the door. The glossy huge horn caught my eye. I watched it for a long time before I turned and walked back to the portrait. Then, I touched the wall on which the portrait was hanging.
"Sorry to disappoint, but there's nothing behind it."
Louis said.
"Just a wall."
"What if there were a hidden space? Like a secret passage?"
"Impossible. Unless there's another space behind this office, this is the end of the castle."
"Hmm. I see."
"Besides, that portrait is so heavy it takes eight men to move it. If there really were a 'secret space' behind it, every time you wanted to go in, you'd have to call in eight men. That would be a foolish setup and it wouldn't stay 'secret' for long."
"There may be a way you're not aware of."
Louis scrunched up his face as if his pride was hurt, though a slight smirk betrayed his cockiness.
"…That's impossible."
I answered with a faint smile and walked toward the desk. The chair there was oddly high, almost uncomfortably so. If you sat in it, your feet wouldn't even reach the floor. Did they really use this? Examining it closely, I noticed worn marks along the chair's legs. Could simply pulling the chair in and out cause these kinds of marks?
No.
These were marks left by "dragging".
"Excuse me, I'm going to borrow this chair for a moment."
I lifted the chair and moved it in front of the hunting trophy.
"Theodore, that's the lord's chair…"
Louis called me over as if he was in trouble, but I stepped on the chair before he could do anything. As I stood on the chair, I found myself at the exact height of the trophy. I examined the huge bull's head that was nearly the size of a grown man's torso and then grasped its glossy horn. From a distance I hadn't noticed it, but up close I could see that the spot I was holding was unusually polished and smooth.
– Clunk!
I gripped the horn firmly and pressed down with all my strength. And without "fear".
Rumble…
The horn pushed inward smoothly, like a hidden button. And then…
– Creaaaaaaaaak…
From behind me came the sound of something heavy moving. I turned around to look.
"Ah…!"
I heard Louis take a sharp breath. It was understandable. I let out a small chuckle and climbed down from the chair.
– Rumble…
The portrait that required eight men to move was slowly being pushed to the side. It was heavy but smooth. When the portrait was finally pushed, the door hidden behind it was revealed. I slowly approached the door.
"That can't be…"
Louis muttered in disbelief.
"'Fear not the horn'—it seems your family motto was true after all."
I patted Louis on the shoulder as he stared, unable to close his mouth. He swallowed hard and shook his head.
"Maybe… maybe it's some kind of secret room that only the lord learns about once they take their place."
"That would make sense. A space that only the 'lord' can access."
I cautiously took hold of the door handle. At that, Louis, coming back to his senses, grabbed my arm.
"But beyond here, there's truly nothing but empty space. If you open this door, all you'll find is the void. That's just how the castle is built. There's really, absolutely nothing behind this."
"Well, we'll find out once it's open."
"...."
In the end, Louis released my arm and fell silent.
I knew Louis was right. Given the layout of the castle, there couldn't possibly be a room behind this wall. Even if there was a door, it would only lead to empty space.
Perhaps this door was once used for executions.
Maybe they would position someone here, then push them through to their death… But that sort of thing didn't seem like Corin's style; it was far too cruel.
It's more likely to be a secret space.
That would explain the strange, unsettling feeling I'd had in this area.
This is nerve-wracking.
It could very well be a trap. But still…
I have no choice but to go through with it.
Just as Corin's family motto said, "Fear not the horn" I had to press forward without fear if I wanted to uncover the secrets hidden beyond this door.
With determination, I opened the door forcefully.
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